The Dreamkeeper
by TVSKendra
Summary: Dreama Nichols wants a normal life, Angel shows her that it may not be the best life, but it is quite normal.


the dreamkeeper

* * *

actone 

open in on the night club d' obolique. cordy has just gotten a gig as a videogirl for a rock band who is filming for a scene in the club. the club is crawling with groupies and such, and cordy has drug poor angel out to *have some fun*. 

cordelia 

isn't this great? isnt this fantastic?! okay angel, i realley won't mind if you enjoyed yourself. 

angel 

the music is very loud. 

cordelia 

duh. what do you expect, this is a rock band. 

angel 

they're no beetwoven........ 

cordelia 

and i'm so sure that beetwoven was the hip thing in your day! do me a favor? liven up.......uhmm never mind, mingle, go have a drink, just don't sit here like a bump on a log. 

angel 

no such thing. that is such a misconception. 

cordelia 

huh? 

angel 

when was the last time you saw a bump on a log? 

cordy shakes her head and goes back to the scene. angel looks around and walks over to the bar and leans against it watching the director give directions to the videogirls. 

dreama 

this bar is for drinkin' not for leanin' 

angel just stares at dreama. 

dreama (continued) 

you don't look like a groupie. 

angel (smiles) 

oh i have every one of their albumns. 

dreama 

what will you have? 

angel 

a beer will be fine. my name is angel. 

dreama (sly smile) 

i serve drinks here ... 

angel 

no, no, i wasn't trying to hit on you........not that you are not worthy of being hit on.............my friend said i should mingle. 

dreama 

it's all right. don't get out much do you? wife keeps you in? (a beat) that was an indirect hit. (embarressed smiles) 

angel 

i'm not married. my idea of a perfect night is a book, some say boring. 

dreama 

no, it's not realley all that boring. 

angel 

i didn't catch your name. 

dreama 

i didn't throw it. my name is dreama. 

cut to the alley, two demons are beating up on a man. stuart is taking out the trash and sees this, he immediately runs back into the bar and goes to dreama. 

stuart 

dream, there's some kids playing in the alley again. 

angel 

kids? 

stuart 

big kids............ horny kids? 

dreama leaves to check it out. 

stuart 

they're in the school band. one plays the er..........french horn, the other the trumbone.... 

angel doesn't look convinced, but puzzled. he takes another sip of his beer then looks down at the door, dreama just exited. 

dreama goes out to the alley. 

dreama 

hey! how many times do i have to tell you kids.........no loitering?! 

lyle 

stay out of it dreama, this doesn't concearn you. 

dreama 

i must disagree. 

lyle 

this man owes us money. 

dreama 

let him go, and i promise not to whip your ass so bad ...........this time. 

lyle and dreama begin to spar as mike holds the man by the throat. lyle makes the first move and he and dreama begin to fight. mike watches as he holds on to the man, rooting on his friend. angel all of the sudden is behind mike and grabs him and they fight, the man runs away as fight ensues between angel, dreama and the demons. lyle holds dreama over his head and throws her to the ground, she gets back up and roundhouse kicks him. angel knocks out mike and goes to help dreama as lyle pulls out his sword and sweeps it across her midsection. angel vamps and takes lyle by the neck and twists it, killing him. dreama sits on the ground holding her wound. as mike runs off dreama looks at angel and he at her. 

opens to dreama's apartment above the club. stuart cleans at her wound, as angel pours her a shot of whiskey. 

angel 

this may help. are you sure, no hospital? 

dreama 

if they saw all the scrapes, they would be full of questions. thank you. 

stuart begans to staple her cut, she tries not to wince too much. 

dreama 

you failed to tell me you're a vampire. a rather different one. 

angel 

are you a slayer? 

dreama 

the slayer. and no, i'm just a girl. 

angel 

you waled on them. 

dreama 

just get tired of all the badness, y'know angel. 

angel 

i do. (door knocks) that must be cordelia, i let them know i would be here. 

dreama 

cordy? 

angel opens door. cordy is all smiles. 

cordelia 

you sly one......when i heard you went upstairs with dreama, i couldn't believe it myself (sees dreama's cut) uhmm what happend? dreama are you okay? 

dreama 

i'll live. hey shoot go okay? 

cordelia 

uhmm yeah........what is going on here? 

angel 

seems dreama just kicked some demon butt. 

cordelia 

uhmm what? 

stuart 

she needs to cut back before she realley gets hurt. 

dreama 

you worry too much. 

(dreama puts on a big shirt) 

stuart 

duh. 

cordelia 

are you the slayer? 

dreama 

no, i'm .... 

angel 

just a girl. dreama, cordelia and i run an investigation i would like to talk to you sorta cross reference? 

dreama 

sure. 

stuart 

that is not a good idea. dreama, you need to cut it out. i'm for real. 

cordelia 

this is a chance for her to help people. 

stuart 

she needs to start helping herself. 

dreama 

stuart.... 

stuart 

your body is a roadmap of bruises and abrasions, you can't sleep because all you think about is fighting evil! 

dreama 

you and i both know, that is not the reason i cannot sleep. 

stuart 

you're gonna do what you want anyway! (picks up jacket) i'm not gonna waste my breath! (leaves) 

(fade out) 

opens on to mike running into a cave where thee are other demons and zombies packaging gold bars in crates. 

alba 

what took you so long, where is he? 

mike 

he ran off. 

(alba angrily pushes mike into a wall) 

mike (continued) 

he ran away when dreama approached. 

alba 

you mean to tell me that between the two of you, you could not take on a little girl! 

mike 

she had a vampire with her. alba, she killed lyle. 

alba 

dreama killed my brother? 

mike 

alba she's been a problem, you knew this! 

alba 

she killed my brother! 

mike 

if only you had allowed us to kill her before... 

alba 

are you saying my brothers blood is on my hands?! 

mike 

no alba, not at all, it's just .........she's strong 

alba (punches his fist through a table) 

she's history. 

it is the next day (evening) and dreama is tending bar. stuart walks up to the bar. 

stuart 

what time does your shift end? 

dreama 

in about an hour. still mad at me? 

stuart 

i only care about you. you know this? 

dreama 

i do. some things, we just can't fight. 

stuart 

i'm a simple man dreama...... 

dreama 

don't. don't say that about yourself. 

stuart 

i want to give you......everything you could ever need or want. if only you would let me. 

stuart takes out a ring and puts it infront of her. 

dreama 

stuart...... 

stuart 

i tell you everyday......i love you. that hasn't been the whole truth. dreama nichols, i'm in love with you. i was kinda hoping for a skip a hop .......a yes. 

dreama 

is this an ultimatom? 

stuart 

i don't believe you dreama! yes hell maybe! since when is caring about someone wrong. 

dreama 

i'm not saying it is............ 

stuart 

look, this is humiliating enough, i said i love you woman! big surprise, you never could say it back...... so i'll just pick the pieces of my heart up off the floor and be on my way and you be on your happy demon killing way! 

dreama can't help but giggle at his animation. 

stuart (continued) 

and just what is so damn funny? 

dreama 

if i had a dime for everytime you said you were leaving.......... 

stuart 

stop counting them. this is the last. 

stuart walks out. 

dreama 

stuart.............. 

cut to angel, and cordelia doing paperwork, while wesley is on the computer.) 

angel 

if you could have seen her........you would have been amazed. i've never seen anyone short of a slayer with that much angst. 

wesley 

do you think she may be fabricating, about not being the slayer? 

angel 

no. too many bruises. 

cordelia 

stuart might be a problem........they've been together for years. 

wesley 

stuart? is that her boyfriend? 

cordelia and angel together 

no..... 

cordelia 

i think they grew up together. he is so against this demon fighting crime solving save the world thing. 

angel 

and i wonder why. 

cordelia 

my goodness angel, he's like only so in love with her. the problem with you too, is you both do not know only too well how to seperate the heart and duty. sometimes they don't seperate all that easy. 

angel 

i think i know all too well. 

stuart knocks on the door and angel let's him in. 

angel 

stuart. 

stuart 

hello (shakes angels hand) i want to apologize for my behavor last night. dreama is very special to me. 

cordelia 

how does she do it? i mean she's not a slayer... 

stuart 

nor can she be. 

angel 

she's human? 

stuart 

very much so....yet not a favorite of the scourge....dreama is the dreamkeeper. 

wesley 

the daughter of drexyl movais? 

angel 

the dream maker. 

cordelia 

who? 

wesley 

dreama's father is maybe the only powerful hybrid demon. 

stuart 

and a sorcerer to boot, able to create dreams in people to bring forth good and bad...often death. 

cordelia 

so he's a baddy? like the sandman? 

angel 

lately he's a recluse...the last... 

wesley 

26 years. 

cordelia 

you call that lately? 

stuart 

dreama has inherited her fathers gift, with rather a twist. she has the bad dreams of others. 

cordelia 

that explains the bags. 

angel 

stuart, i understand your concearn for dreama, but there is a calling predestined before she was born. 

stuart 

so true. and i know this, but.....i love her. dreama can make it with out all the gloom and doom 

wesley 

but what if she can't....if she does not fullfill her destiny, there could be chaos. 

(dreama enters) 

stuart 

i'm willing to take that chance. 

dreama 

take a chance on? i thaught you were going to leave this alone? 

stuart 

you knew i couldn't, you knew that this is where i would come, to plead for your life if i must. 

dreama 

we are not having this discussion here, not now. 

stuart 

i hate this baby, i hate the bruising i hate worrying some kaliff demon is gonna kill you. 

dreama 

you can't stand by and have me twiddle my thumbs any more than i can do it myself. why did you tell me those druids were in the alley last night! i have to do this! 

stuart 

i won't stay and watch.....no longer dreama. i want to give you a life, away from this. no offence, but i can't stand the site of another demon or vampire! my flight leaves at 2. will you come with me? (silence. stuart let's go of her hand) i love you. (kisses dreama and leaves.) 

angel 

dreama if you need to re think this........ 

cordelia 

angel? 

dreama 

no....no i don't.....can i use your restroom? 

(as wesley points the way she runs to the bathroom to vomit.) 

wesley 

i'm not so sure she's stable. 

cordelia 

wesley! were you not just here? did you not hear him say he's leaving her? she wants to do what is right. 

angel 

she can fight ten kaliff demons better than she'll ever be able to fight destiny. 

(cut to dreama throwing water in her face and looking into the mirror.) 

angel (continued) 

she can be very valuable, all though she has no training 

(cut back to office) 

cordelia 

i'm glad to have another woman here, a little rationality is gravely needed. 

welsey 

as you said angel she has lack of training. how much demon knowledge does she have? 

cordelia 

what? she is part demon. hello? 

dreama 

i studied demonology abroad. (puts out hand to wesley) dreama nichols 

wesley 

wesley price. 

dreama 

you question my ability? 

wesley 

well no not realley i uhmm just question........your tact. 

dreama 

i'm not saying you need me. i tend bar, i am just as happy to continue doing such.....i just want to help. maybe then i can sleep better. 

angel 

what was that about last night? 

dreama 

any human to borrow money from a kaliff is some kind of fool. that's all that was about. 

wesley 

and you? do you have any special ....powers. 

dreama 

telepathy, you naughty boy. 

wesley (blushes) 

oh good, very well. 

angel 

things around here has been quite quiet. 

dreama 

who's your link to the powers that be? 

angel 

you know about them? 

dreama 

you don't? 

angel 

well I've never had the pleasure. cordelia is the link. 

dreama 

how is that? 

cordelia 

kissed by a demon, before he died...he was a friend. 

dreama 

you were gifted. 

cordelia 

yeah well sometimes i don't see it so much as a gift. 

dreama 

i hear you. 

angel 

when was the last time you realley slept? 

dreama 

i don't keep track well, that is......was stuart's job. 

cordelia 

you're realley gonna let him go like that? 

dreama 

can't stop him. 

(cut to stuart putting his things in his car to leave. he is approached by a demon) 

mora 

going somewhere? 

stuart 

as if it's any of your business. 

mora 

i see you've found some courage. not needed realley, you see we're here for the girl. 

stuart 

well you'll have to go find her then, i'm out of here. 

(mora grabs him, they fight and mora knocks him out. a limo pulls up and mora shoves stuart in the car and it takes off.) 

(cut to the office) 

angel 

that kaliff said something last night........ about the raj na jyn.........at least that's what it sounds like. 

wesley 

the rajneygon? angel are you sure? 

angel 

yeah.......wesley what is it? 

wesley 

it has something to do with gold (looks throught books)....something about..... 

dreama 

idol worship. the gold is used to create a god, believed to destroy. 

cordelia 

destroy? destroy what? 

dreama 

all that's began. to take us back to the ancient times. 

cordelia 

destroy the world? 

wesley 

just those non demon. 

angel 

this god. is he a demon? 

wesley 

yes he is (thumbs through book) luvarious (shows picture of him) 

angel 

what will kill him? 

wesley (reading) 

this could be trying. 

(cordelia gets a headache and grabs her head.. she sees stuart being hit repeatedly by a demon) 

angel 

cordelia.......cordelia what is it? 

cordelia 

it's stuart...he's been taken to the catacombs in santa monica.........one of them smacked him across the head with a bar of gold. 

(angel follows dreama out the door to go find Stuart and the kaliff demons.) 

Angel follows Dreama in the sand to the catacombs; they hold lanterns 

angel 

pier 81, cordelia this better be right. 

dreama sees something shiny in the sand. she flashes her light on it, it's a necklace. on it is the engagement ring stuard had for her. 

dreama 

this is the place. 

angel follows her then explores down a way. dreama eyes a silver wire as angel inches closer, she runs after him pushing him to the ground as a sharp blade is pulled above where his head was and across the cave. 

dreama 

careful (shows him censor lights) see? (throws rock and brings up force field) that is where we want to go, but we can't...... this way. 

angel follows dreama, he sees a loft in the cave and points at it.) 

angel 

that could be a crawl space.... 

angel leaps holding on to the edge and pulls himself up; he holds his hand down to help dreama up as two kaliff demons come by he has her up, and they look down on them. the two demons break the force field's code, wolking through and say: gordi veja vuga alba. dreama follows angel into a part where they can look in to the cave that the demons enter from below. this is where they are trying to convert the gold bars to the idol. angel listens to what they say as dreama wanders in another direction. 

angel 

we have to stop this from happening....... (looks around for dreama) dreama? 

dreama looks down another way, down into the holding tank and sees stuart. 

dreama 

stuart? 

she starts pulling off the grill, angell sees and follows her as she jumps down and runs over to her friend, she unties him. 

dreama 

stu? stu, what have they done? what have they done? 

stuart (weakly smiles, holds her face) 

i was dreaming you said yes. 

dreama 

we've got to get you out of here. 

dreama tries to lift up stuart 

angel 

what about the idol? 

dreama 

I don't give a damn about the idol angel! 

angel 

the end of the earth...hello? 

stuart 

they can't do it. 

stuart pulls a vial with flourescent liquid in it out of his pocket. 

stuart(continued) 

not without this. 

dreama 

you're sure? 

stuart 

you must've had one good snooze during the creation of the idol series doctor ellis taught in class. 

dreama 

well, it was five years ago........angel please help. 

angel helps stuart walk 

stuart 

this way.. 

they head down a corridor. cut to alba as usual angry 

alba 

what do you mean it's gone! 

pestor 

it's gone. it's gone. 

alba (grabs pestor) 

incompinant fools! 

vaj 

the demon has escaped! 

pestor 

he must have the vial. 

alba roars and it echoes through out the catacombs to angel, stuart and dreama as they get to the neck of the catacombs only entry. mora meets them. 

mora 

going somewhere? 

dreama 

out of the way! 

mora no please? no? obviously the mauvais don't believe in manners. 

dreama 

i'm realley not in the mood! 

mora 

i'm not in the mood for you escaping! you killed Lyle! 

angel 

no, i did (vamps) you could be next..... tell me is that necessary! 

angel is hit from behind by a demon. stuart falls. a fight ensues and dreama is thrown against the cave, as she straitens up alba comes out and punches her in the face and she falls back. as he begins to approach her, she does a back flip and kicks him in the chest. 

alba 

you must die! now! tonite! i should have killed you long ago! 

dreama 

i'm gonna make you wish you had! 

dreama pulls the sword from pestors uniform , she spars with alba he tries to get the sword from her and kicks dreama, but she swings and cuts off alba's head, then roundhouse kicks his still standing body down. angel throws mora down reaches down and spins his neck. as pestor forces a spear in dreama's direction, stuart rushes at her pushing her out of the way taking the spear through his body. dreama swings and cuts off pestors head. several demons run back into the cave. dreama attends to stuart, who holds the vial in his bloodied hand. he pours it out on the earth. dreama weeps over her freind. 

dreama 

angel help...angel help...take it out, take it out.. 

angel (sadly) 

dreama it's too far in him.. 

dreama 

no no no..... 

stuart (quieting dreama) 

my sweet sweet dre'ama...my love, my one and only... 

dreama (a beat) 

i won't live, without you. 

stuart 

don't don't you dare.....i was not a very good friend. 

dreama 

no.. 

stuart 

you have a calling on your life... i wish i had supported you more.... angel, take care of her..... 

angel 

i will. 

dreama 

i wish you to live, i wish you to live!!!!!!! 

stuart 

that isn't your gift love....it's time, yes, yes it's time........now not one more tear...... 

stuart draws his last breath as dreama burrows her head in this chest crying. she looks at him realizing he's gone. 

dreama 

stu? stuart? stuart!? no! no! I love you! I love you! (kisses his lips) I love you, I love you... 

as stuart's body begins to combust as with his kind, angel pulls dreama off of him.. she keeps saying "i love you." until all that is left is embers. dreama hods the necklace in her hand, she kissed it and puts it around her neck. angel puts his hand out for her and she takes it and rises from the ground. angel takes her by the shoulder and they walk away. 

cut to the office. cordelia sits with angel. 

cordelia 

she'll need friends, to help her through this....... 

angel 

i promised stuart, we will be here. she was too late, too late to return his feelings, that kind of torture......but he knew, he loved her. (a beat) someone once loved me like that. 

cordelia 

well you're not absolutely unloveable. 

angel gives a slight smile. 

[~ the end][1]

[][2]

   [1]: http://www.angelfire.com/tv/dreamkeeper/index.html
   [2]: http://www.btvs.cwc.net



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